Click here to Wow, was 2015 the fastest year in recorded history?
I knew I was setting a lofty goal in daring to imagine I’d make regular updates on our farm doings, but I thought I’d at least manage more than a paltry 2 entries! I’ll likely maintain my pokey little pace, as I focus on the humble act of just getting things done. I’m still awed at how many people manage to homeschool, farm, craft, volunteer, recreate, keep their day jobs and simultaneously document such energetic fabulosity with plentiful pictures and verbal panache. I was certainly cut out for a slower moving era, but we must bloom where we’re planted, right? I can’t offer fabulosity, but I’ll at least try a little harder to share glimpses of life from the doublewide paradise we call Oakie Acres farm.
While we didn’t do the kind of market vending we’d originally planned, 2015 was a very good year. A year of small beginnings, and long-awaited structural improvements! My dear husband built a mini-barn for our livestock to shelter in, created a beautiful new front porch, and painted both house and main barn. The pleasure these kinds of acts offer a wife is immeasurable. I’m a lucky lady, indeed.
We also decided to experiment with heirloom vegetable seeds, something we look forward to continuing this year. I guess most of the supermarket veggies we frowned upon as children were cultivated to withstand the rigors of cross-country hauling and other veggie horrors. Basically, they were bred more for hardy constitutions than hardy flavors. I think the reason so many folks who disliked veggies in the past are loving them now is the opportunity to eat much better, higher quality, locally grown veggies. A tomato purchased locally doesn’t have to be a bland old tough guy. It can afford to have a sweeter, more pleasant personality since it won’t be abused or neglected in major shipping operations. This is one area where society has definitely advanced, albeit in a back to basics way. Even if it doesn’t say organic, you can bet any small farmer has grown that veggie with tender loving care, using responsible methods. They can’t help it. I believe it's in their nature.
**On that note, you should see our steers! They’re the two silliest, most playful, personality-filled critters ever to grace a field. We’ve kept them on an extra year because as Jersey’s they’re slower to mature. They also happened to consume the lion's share of our fruit and veggies last year. When the jersey boys are sold this spring, it will be a very sad day for my husband. He’s had no end of rollicking, cowboy-ish fun with those two crazies in the field.**
Heirloom varieties and loving care also go hand in hand. Heirloom veggies are downright beloved by folks who are extra into veggies. Last year I was particularly drawn to oddly colored varieties, those that are purple in particular. It is my favorite color, after all. Well….maybe. It ties with pink for that honor, depending on the mood of a day. Either way, purple colored veggies are every bit as scrumptious as you’d expect them to be. Take a look at the beautifully vibrant Purple of Sicily cauliflower below. For a good resource on heirloom veggies, look here: http://www.halcyon.com/tmend/define.htm. If all goes as planned, we hope you'll stop by on an upcoming farm stand day. We'll announce those days further along in the season. It really will happen folks! I can't thank you enough for your patience, and please keep checking back.<3
Our family and friends also enjoyed the visual and flavor spectacles of purple carrots, artichokes, broccoli, and asparagus, though I admit not all pack the color intensity Purple of Sicily displays. The asparagus and artichokes are more green with purplish tinges. It was super exciting nonetheless. This year we're adding " chedder" cauliflower which, as you may surmise, should be a cheesy golden color. We're also trying a Russian black tomato, the Paul Robeson variety. It’s an early producer and is reputed to be scrum-diddly-icious. My husband and I are tomato fanatics, so we’re very excited to try these. Ahem. And to share with others, of course.
Whew! I've backfilled last years gap a little bit, and it does feel good in a better-late-than-never sort of way. Unfortunately, there remains a sad last note to add before signing off. Along with all the great things of 2015, two not-so-great things also occurred. First was the loss of our gorgeous, pot-bellied, cross-eyed-Siamese-snuggle-cat, Lucky, whose handsome face retains it's place on our home page. Second was the loss of genteel Carmelita, the sweetest-eyed, most demure, faithful and loving of Sheltie dogs.
RIP, Lucky and Carmelita. You were a couple of the greats!
I knew I was setting a lofty goal in daring to imagine I’d make regular updates on our farm doings, but I thought I’d at least manage more than a paltry 2 entries! I’ll likely maintain my pokey little pace, as I focus on the humble act of just getting things done. I’m still awed at how many people manage to homeschool, farm, craft, volunteer, recreate, keep their day jobs and simultaneously document such energetic fabulosity with plentiful pictures and verbal panache. I was certainly cut out for a slower moving era, but we must bloom where we’re planted, right? I can’t offer fabulosity, but I’ll at least try a little harder to share glimpses of life from the doublewide paradise we call Oakie Acres farm.
While we didn’t do the kind of market vending we’d originally planned, 2015 was a very good year. A year of small beginnings, and long-awaited structural improvements! My dear husband built a mini-barn for our livestock to shelter in, created a beautiful new front porch, and painted both house and main barn. The pleasure these kinds of acts offer a wife is immeasurable. I’m a lucky lady, indeed.
We also decided to experiment with heirloom vegetable seeds, something we look forward to continuing this year. I guess most of the supermarket veggies we frowned upon as children were cultivated to withstand the rigors of cross-country hauling and other veggie horrors. Basically, they were bred more for hardy constitutions than hardy flavors. I think the reason so many folks who disliked veggies in the past are loving them now is the opportunity to eat much better, higher quality, locally grown veggies. A tomato purchased locally doesn’t have to be a bland old tough guy. It can afford to have a sweeter, more pleasant personality since it won’t be abused or neglected in major shipping operations. This is one area where society has definitely advanced, albeit in a back to basics way. Even if it doesn’t say organic, you can bet any small farmer has grown that veggie with tender loving care, using responsible methods. They can’t help it. I believe it's in their nature.
**On that note, you should see our steers! They’re the two silliest, most playful, personality-filled critters ever to grace a field. We’ve kept them on an extra year because as Jersey’s they’re slower to mature. They also happened to consume the lion's share of our fruit and veggies last year. When the jersey boys are sold this spring, it will be a very sad day for my husband. He’s had no end of rollicking, cowboy-ish fun with those two crazies in the field.**
Heirloom varieties and loving care also go hand in hand. Heirloom veggies are downright beloved by folks who are extra into veggies. Last year I was particularly drawn to oddly colored varieties, those that are purple in particular. It is my favorite color, after all. Well….maybe. It ties with pink for that honor, depending on the mood of a day. Either way, purple colored veggies are every bit as scrumptious as you’d expect them to be. Take a look at the beautifully vibrant Purple of Sicily cauliflower below. For a good resource on heirloom veggies, look here: http://www.halcyon.com/tmend/define.htm. If all goes as planned, we hope you'll stop by on an upcoming farm stand day. We'll announce those days further along in the season. It really will happen folks! I can't thank you enough for your patience, and please keep checking back.<3
Our family and friends also enjoyed the visual and flavor spectacles of purple carrots, artichokes, broccoli, and asparagus, though I admit not all pack the color intensity Purple of Sicily displays. The asparagus and artichokes are more green with purplish tinges. It was super exciting nonetheless. This year we're adding " chedder" cauliflower which, as you may surmise, should be a cheesy golden color. We're also trying a Russian black tomato, the Paul Robeson variety. It’s an early producer and is reputed to be scrum-diddly-icious. My husband and I are tomato fanatics, so we’re very excited to try these. Ahem. And to share with others, of course.
Whew! I've backfilled last years gap a little bit, and it does feel good in a better-late-than-never sort of way. Unfortunately, there remains a sad last note to add before signing off. Along with all the great things of 2015, two not-so-great things also occurred. First was the loss of our gorgeous, pot-bellied, cross-eyed-Siamese-snuggle-cat, Lucky, whose handsome face retains it's place on our home page. Second was the loss of genteel Carmelita, the sweetest-eyed, most demure, faithful and loving of Sheltie dogs.
RIP, Lucky and Carmelita. You were a couple of the greats!
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